Press Release
For immediate release
11 July 2022

Destination Hauraki Coromandel opens round two of the Regional Event Fund for The Coromandel

Under an allocation from the government's Tourism Recovery Package 2020, Destination Hauraki Coromandel is now accepting applications for the second round of the Regional Events Fund (REF), which aims to support events in The Coromandel over the coming years.

The Coromandel’s REF is a seed fund to help new and existing events build long-term sustainable platforms and growth. The purpose of the fund is to stimulate ‘out of region’ visitation by supporting events that attract expenditure to help replace that lost from international visitors. Last year’s fund supported eight events throughout Hauraki Coromandel, some of which have been carried over due to COVID restrictions.

Through the REF, Destination Hauraki Coromandel aims to build a stronger calendar of events that will collectively showcase the essence of The Coromandel while stimulating and enhancing the economic wellbeing of the region and providing significant flow-on benefits to tourism businesses (which includes the retail and hospitality sectors) in The Coromandel. 

“We recognise that major events generate significant visitation to our region, but smaller or less well-established events that have the capacity to grow are also eligible”, says Destination Hauraki Coromandel’s marketing manager Megan Nunn. “All events will need to show that they have a clear plan and pathway to attract out of region visitors and not simply leverage this audience while already in the region. They must also make a commitment to local environmental protection actions,” she adds.

The fund had a total pool of $400k available to qualified event organisers, with the second round opening for applications on 11 July 2022. The investment panel will allocate up to $70k in the 22/23 financial year.

The REF is made possible by the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) allocation of $50 million to Regional Tourism Organisations to fund events that stimulate domestic tourism and travel between regions. This is part of the government's support for the tourism and events sector, intended to replace some of the lost spend from international visitors as a result of COVID-19.

The application portal is now open, and more information on criteria and process may be found here: www.thecoromandel.com

Megan Nunn, Marketing Manager
Destination Hauraki Coromandel:
megan@thecoromandel.com
021 227 4351